The National Robotics Challenge has evolved from one of the oldest robotics contests in America, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Robotic Technology and Engineering Challenge. The SME-RTEC competition was started in 1986, under the guidance and inspiration of Tom Meravi, Associate Professor from Northern Michigan University and the late Dr. James Hannemann, co-chairman of the event. Working behind the scenes, Professor Meravi and Dr. Hannemann volunteered their time and talents tirelessly for fifteen years to help the robotics competition grow, expand, and develop into one of the premier robotics and engineering events in the nation. From its humble beginning, with two work cells and two pick and place competitions, the 2002 competition offered a total of seventeen contests. Dr. Hannemann died suddenly in July 2001.